NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



unsteady. Its wings are small and crumpled. The 

 juices from the insect's body flow into the veins of 

 the wings, and they expand and dry. Presently the 

 insect rises into the air and flies off — one of the loveliest 

 and most marvellous of Nature's creations. 



Some species of butterflies and moths live only 

 two or three days, and do not eat at all. Others sip 

 nectar from flowers, the butterflies by day and the moths 

 by night, and live weeks and even months. After 

 mating, the females deposit their eggs in clusters on 

 twigs, leaves, bark, etc.; or on wool and fur in the 

 case of the clothes moth. These eggs hatch into 

 caterpillars, and so the life cycle goes on as before. 



Butterflies and moths, in their quest for nectar, 

 carry pollen and fertilise plants, and in this way they 

 are beneficial. They, however, breed so rapidly that, 

 if left unchecked, their larvae,- which are called cater- 

 pillars would eat all the vegetation off the face of the 

 earth. 



The cultivation of the ground by man provides 

 good, succulent, nutritious food for caterpillars, and 

 they, in consequence, tend to increase much more 

 rapidly than if they were obliged to support themselves 

 on wild plant food ; hence the necessity for taking 

 every possible measure to increase the number of 

 insectivorous birds and bats. Ichneumon flies are 

 very destructive to caterpillars. The fly punctures 

 the skin of a caterpillar and deposits an egg in each 

 puncture. These eggs hatch into grubs, which feed 

 on the body of their host, the caterpillar. The latter 

 usually does not die until it has changed into a chrys- 



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